How to properly iron a shirt & blouse
It may seem a simple task, but many people spend a fair amount of coinage either paying for dry cleaning service or buying new clothes sooner than they have to due to bad ironing practices. So this article is devoted to sharing the age old art of ironing. There is an advantage to owning a top notch steam iron, but if you dn't know how to operate one effeciently, it will give you the same results as a ten dollar special from the mart stores. So follow along as I take you into the not so familiar world of ironing.
I worked for a retail company a while back and we would get rare visits from the higher ups. I remember one episode where the Director of Operation commented on how great my shirt looked. He stated something like, "Look at the cleaners' pressed crease in that sleeve." I quickly responded with, "No, this is with an iron." So why would he not assume one could get a satisfactory look with a regular hand iron? Probably because most would rather let the professionals worry with pressing out creases. But you can quickly, economically, easily and conveniently produce the same results at home.
Start with the proper fabric setting. Those selections are there for a reason. Once the iron has reached its temperature, iron on the board first. That helps to distribute the excess heat that was created to get the iron up to its idea setting and help prevent burning or melting the fabric. And if you're using the steam temperature, running the iron across the ironing board pad will create a micro steam film between the fabric and sole plate. That helps the iron flow effortlessly across stubborn wrinkles.
Start with a small area like the collar. It's harder to keep on the ironing board. And if it slips on the floor at this stage, you wont risk re-wrinkling your already ironed larger sections. If you like hard creases, iron the collar flat first and then fold it to where you want the collar crease. Most dress shirts have the collar crease permenantly pressed in, but more casual shirts don't. After laying the collar flat and pressing it, then fold the collar to where you want the crease and apply steady pressure and steam. This is where the burst button for steam comes in handy. Next, do the portion that goes around you back and shoulders.
Now move to the front top portion of the shirt. that would be the part directly below the collar where the pocket would be. Start just below the collar line and move downward. Next place the entire right or left side of the shirt or blouse on the ironing board with the collar portion held by the small portion of the board. This anchors the shirt so it wont move around much while you press out the wrinkles. Starting from the hem of the shirt and moving from the back seam to the outer button or button hole portion does well. Next, move the shirt around to where half of the back of the shirt is on the board and iron from the hem up; then move to get the other side.
By this time, you should be at the other side of the front of the shirt. Turn the shirt in a fashion that puts the already portions of the shirt on the iron board side opposite to where you, the iron and its cord is. This keeps yo form ruining the object by stepping on it, or running the cord across it making extra creases. Once You've done that, you can do the sleeves. I have found that unless it's a very thick piece of cotton or linen, It's best to iron just one side of the shirt. Preferrably the side that will be facing your forward stance. The drivinig and sitting movements of the day will immediately break down any efforts you place there anyway. And a good quality steam iron will produce enough heat and steam to press a great crease without doing both sides.
To save energy, it is recommended that you iron all your iorning at once. That's your choice. You just have to make sure you have a large enough area to place them so that they don't get wrinkled before you need them. Either way, following these directions will give you professional results everytime with little effort or time exhausted.
